Reversible condiment container



May 12, 1959 R. A. WATSON REVERSIBLE CONDIMENT CONTAINER Filed Aug. 28, 1958 IIHMPI. l l l l .Ill

United States Patent() REVERSIBLE CGNDIMENT CONTAINER Richard A. Watson, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Application August 28, 1958, Serial No. 757,870

8 Claims. (Cl. 222-1422) It is known that double-ended containers"V are availv able, but unfortunately these` suffer from the disadvantage of leaking occurring at one end if that particular end is facing downwardly.

I have overcome these disadvantages by combining the pepper and salt containers together, enabling them to be reversed easily and returned automatically, and furthermore, I have provideda sealing plate at the base thereof which seals olf the end of the container which is facing downwardly so that no leakage can occur.

The principal object and essence of my invention is therefore, to provide a double-ended cylinder having containers at each end for salt and pepper, mounting same on a common spindle between a pair of supports which can be pivoted inwardly. By the provision of a pin and lile groove, inward pressure of the side supports causes the device to rotate thus presenting the opposite end for use and at the same time the sealing plate is engaged and disengaged from the lower end thus preventing leakage.

The principal object and essence of my invention is, therefore, to provide a combination pepper and salt container in which the portion of the device which is downwardly does not leak when not in use.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device ofthe character herewithin described in which either the salt or pepper dispensers can readily be placed into position for use.

A yet further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is extremely simple in construction, economical in manufacture and otherwise well suited for the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter morel particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a front elevation of my device.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a viewsimilar to Figure l, but sectioned to show the interior thereof.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section along the lines 4-4 f of Figure 2.

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Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the spindle showing the spiral grooves therein. f

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Proceeding, therefore, to describe, my invention in detail, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings in which it will be seen that I have provided a condiment container collectively designatedy 1 consistingof an elongated cylinder 2 having a container IEl at onevend and a container 4 at the other end for containing condi.- ments such as pepper 5 and salt 6, saidcontainers having screwed end caps 7 for lling purposes, said end caps being apertured as at 8 for dispensing purposes..

The solid central portion 9 of the cylinder istplo'videdV with a pivot pin or spindle 10 secured-'therein :and .extending upwardly upon each side thereof and the-,extended ends 11 of this spindle are provided with spiral threads or grooves 12 and enlarged ends 13, the purposeof which is hereinafter to be explained. i i i Side supports 14 are semicylindrical when viewed in plan, the lower ends 15 thereof being` extended so` that they meet together at a common pivot pointy 16 upon a cylindrical base plate 17. The lower ends being at right angles to the vertical support, they lit upon the 4base' plate as illustrated which. maintainsthe two 4side .supports in spaced. and parallel relationshippnewith `the other yet permits the other ends thereof to be moved together by linger pressure pivoting around the aforementioned pivot pin 16.

Collars 18 are situated around the ends 11 of the spindle and against the inner sides of the side supports 14, said collars having a pin 19 extending inwardly therefrom engageable with the aforementioned spiral grooves 12, and coiled springs 20 surround the ends 11 of the spindle and react between the sides of the cylinder and the collars normally maintaining the side supports in the vertical position as shown in the drawings.

The outer surfaces of the side supports may be knurled and these side supports are gripped between the thumb and foreiinger of the user.

To dispense condiment from the end 5, the device is merely upended and shaken.

However, to dispense condiment from the end 4, the side supports are squeezed together thus causing the pins to move inwardly and to rotate the spindle and cylinder so that the opposite end takes up the position of the end 3 shown in the drawing.

Release of this pressure permits the spring 20 to turn the side supports to the vertical position which at the same time reverses the position of the cylinder.

In order to prevent leakage or spillage occurring from the end of the cylinder facing downwardly, I provide a bracket 21 secured to one of the side supports, said bracket extending inwardly and supporting an arcuately curved sealing plate 22 which is adapted to engage snugly the arcuately curved end caps 7 of the device. When in the position shown in the drawings, the arcuate sealing plate is relatively tightened against the end caps 7, but as soon as pressure is applied to the side supports in order to rotate the device, this end cap moves away slightly thus permitting the cylinder to rotate freely. Conversely, as soon as pressure is removed, the cylinder returns to the position shown in the drawings and the sealing plate clamps securely upon the arcuate end thus preventing leakage.

The spindle 10 is enclosed in a compressible tubular cover 23 where it projects between cylinder 2 and each side support 14, in order to prevent possible clogging by spilled condiments.

Since various modications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different'-ernbodintientsof same made within the spi-rit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained inthe iccompanyingflspecicatin shallf be interpreted Ya'sillustrative only and not in'a' limiting sense. s

. :What I ras iin/:invention is f l. A condimentcontainercomprising in combi-nation a double-'ended r cylinderhaving a condiment dispensing container-'at eachrfend thereof, a pivotI pin secured to and extending-at right angles through the centre of said cylinder/a'nd exfendingfuponeachjside thereof, saidA pin havingaspiralfgro'ove on the surface thereof at each extended end', 'Ia ba'se plate, aupair of supports pivotally yseere'dlftnsad-A Baseand'lextending upwardly 'tlnrefrmnl in spaced and parallel relationship, a pair of collars in the upper ends-of saidv 'supportsadapted vto receive the ends bi?i''siai'dl'pivzotfipin's, :'pins in fsaid'c"ol1ars `eittending inwardly and lenga'gir'lg saidjsp'irfalI threadssothat movement of said support together causes said spindle and 'saidcont'ainer trorott; y -521, The device" according to lclaim l which includes at least one spring around *svaidlspindlereacting between the side'- of vsaid'v cylinder and f one of said supports and adapted toreturn-'rsaid support to said spaced 'and 1parallel relationship. f u N v i p u 3l Thejdeviceaccordngto claim l in whichv the Sends of l'said cylinder are' arcuatiely'curvedywhen yviewed 'in side-'elevatiomanf areutelyvv curved sealing' vplate supportedfby one of saidsupports and adapted to cover and afa'segl'aie" e enclose the-*dispensing end of said 'container adjacent the base of said device.

4. 'Ihe device according`to claim 2, in which the ends of said cylinder are arcuately curved when viewed in side elevation, an arcuately curved sealing plate supported by one of said supports and adapted to cover and enclose the dispensing end of said container adjacent the base of said device.

5. The device according to claim 1 in which said supports are semi-cylindrical, the lower ends of said supports extending inwardly to meet centrally upon said base at a common pivot point.'

6. The devicel according to claim 2 in which said supports are semi-cylindrical, the lower ends of said supports extending inwardly to meet centrally upon said base at a common pivot point.

V7. The device according to claim 3 in which said supports areisemi-cylindrical, 'the lower ends of said supportsextending inwardly'tomeet centrally upon said base ata common pivot point.

v8. 'The device according toclairn 4 in which said supports'are semi-cylindricaL'the lower ends of said sup# portsextending 'inwardly to meet centrally upon said base at a common pivot point.

References-,cited in' the nl@ of 'this 'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 111022173 Kennedy Dec. 27, 1870 

